The Fallen
by Backroads
Summary: As the Battle of Hogwarts rages on, some who did not make it continue to watch.


It was not like anyone actually wanted to die, though it did have to be put up for consideration that the Lupins did have a brand-new, scream, sleep-depriving infant and there were things worse than death. But it was not a case of Tonks and Remus walking face-first into death. It was just one of those things.

Besides the physical pain and the shock both mental and emotional of death, the drama of bravely lying down one's life in battle was far less impressive than they had been led to believe. Rather, the drama was disgusting. How cheap was it to be in the midst of war, heart and soul and body on the line for a cause most noble, and to be suddenly cast out to the shadowy state of the world inbetween? Speaking of which, was that all about?

Colin Creevey, still the overzealous student, refused to shut up about psychomagical mumbo jumbo about obsession with the material world and unfinished business. It fell to rumor if the boy even realized he was dead. He had bounced his way through life, bounced his way through a few dueling spells that in retrospect had not been the best of his repertoire. The afterlife experience was thoroughly novel to him and he could not help but wonder why Professor Binns had made them suffer through boring history when he could have been enlightening them on post-death situations.

It was all extremely cool.

He was somewhat sad, of course, and a tiny part of his mind was solemnly aware of the tragedy caused by his death. Well, his parents no longer needed to kill him for sneaking underage into battle. Too late for that. Nor did he pay much attention to what would happen next. He figured he was close enough to realizing the full mysteries of death and he trusted all would be well. That he was still here, that they were all still here, while the Battle of Hogwarts still raged on did not bother him. Rather, it seemed fitting and he didn't want to leave without knowing the end of the story.

So instead Colin wandered throughout the old castle, heart (or whatever it was now) aglow with pride for the survivors. Not so many of them had died, after all. There were still plenty left to fight, from his closest friends to the distant relatives of students he didn't even know. He could see the challenge and determination in their eyes; why, he could almost smell it on them, sense every fit of the fight that still remained with them all. It was terrifying, heart-wrenching, and wonderful. Colin loved every moment of it.

The world was a little different. In countless ways it was the Hogwarts he knew, only more intense and magical and at the same time as if seen through a mist. He wasn't fully apart of it anymore, none of them were. He couldn't even place where he was in relation to everything and everyone. The closest he could describe was looking down on them even though they weren't.

The thought eventually crossed his mind that he should be frightened. And he had been. Death, while not unpleasant once one understood what had happened, but it was quite shocking in the moment when one was torn from one's body. But he was dead, there wasn't a cure for that, and something else had his attention.

They were going to win.

They all knew it, all of them that hadn't made it so far into the battle. Fred had been the first to mention it, had said it with a delighted laugh whilst observing a few Death Eaters cheering about how successful they would be.

"No idea what they're talking about," Fred said with that laugh of his. "They just don't see the end."

Remus didn't laugh, but his own smile was clear. He looked happy, peaceful, a strange blend of emotions for such a time. But they all felt the truth. "No, they certainly don't. But I see no harm in it. Let them have their fun."

Fred responded to that by tossing an invisible, rather spirity, spitball at the Death Eaters.

Colin watched in fascination. Amazingly enough the spitball was evident even on the rage of color that was the living Death Eaters. "Can they feel that?"

Fred shrugged and shot off another. "Eh, I don't care. I like it. I know it's there. Should have destroyed a few of my wares before this moment."

"Fred, I don't think it works that—"

"We don't know until we test for sure!" Fred replied gleefully. "Just think how useful a portable swamp straight from the world of the dead would be right about now. Or some Whiz-bangs. That would add a little color to the battle. If I had any intention at all of sticking around this place I would see to it that tests would be made."

The little thoughts of potential sadness returned to Colin's mind. "You're going to miss it, aren't you?

Fred shrugged after a short pause. "I really will. There's a lot to miss. I hadn't exactly planned on dying tonight, you know. Pity the world has been rid of a mind such as mine."

"What about George?"

Fred's smile was hard to read. Sad, yet happy. Total opposites. "I guess our duo has been split up. I don't know where he's going to get his ideas now. He'll shrivel up without me."

That was hard to believe. "You really think so?"

"Kid, learn to listen between the phrases. I think George will be just fine. They'll all be fine. Though it was up to me to remind Percy that he hadn't joked since just before he became a stupid prefect. But trust me. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes is going to the most successful joke shop the world has seen. Zonko's will be going down. George will see to it. Just like this Death Eater will see to it that he will make an incredibly stupid mistake throwing the wrong jinx at the wrong person."

Sure enough, an incredibly upset Eloise Midgen struck a surprisingly hazardous full-body acne jinx in just the right spot.

And so the battle raged on, and all Colin and the others could do was watch. It wasn't bad, watching. Colin found himself enjoying it, though the itch to rejoin and fight still wrestled against him. But there was nothing he could do. His part was done, others had their parts to play, and all would be well in the end.

Victory was so close.

Fred said it best: "Just relax and enjoy the show."

So Colin watched. The blaze of spells, the cries of triumph and ignorant despair. He didn't understand why they just didn't embrace the triumph.

"It's hard to see people fall," Tonks said softly.

She looked no different than she had in life, her hair still proudly pink, her eyes still bright. The state of death had not much diminished those.

"I guess it's hard to be the fallen," Colin replied. The thoughts of the future came to him. His family's face when they saw his body, the tears of his brother. "I guess… this is it. But I like it."

"Death?"

He shook his head and gestured at the battle. "This. This is what's interesting. This is what I think about it."

She smiled, and the sadness on her face vanished. "I know what you mean. Nothing else matters. All this is what's important."

"Exactly."

"My baby will grow up and learn about it." Tears bit at her eyes, but her smile remained.

Colin had forgotten she had a baby. "I'm sorry."

"I knew I shouldn't have come. But I don't regret it."

Colin watched her.

She continued, grateful for an audience. "I always wanted to be a mum. Always dreamed of it. Teddy is absolutely perfect, all I ever wanted. He still is."

"Is Professor Lupin angry you came?"

She smiled and looked over her shoulder. There was Remus Lupin, not a hint of anger on his face. Just a smile of pure love.

"She was supposed to come."

Time did not seem to pass as Colin was used to it passing. The world and the battle swam beneath him, or wherever it was from wherever they were. It seemed an eternity and an instant before the castle grew quiet and restful.

Was restful the way to describe it? Remus spoke more about it. He seemed to understand the pain that shrouded the castle. The wait, the fear, the sorrow for people like them that hadn't made it so far. They just didn't get it, and it almost infuriated Colin just how much they didn't get it. So maybe it was painful, but the whole war had been pain. This was a time to nurse wounds and rest a little before the itty bitty amount of fighting that had to remain. He was sure of it. Not much remained. They just had to be patient, build up their strength, and just fight a little longer.

Before long, it would all be over and all would be well.

Amazing how clear it was to him.

During that time, Colin wandered farther than he ever had. During that time, the castle became a little less misty, a little more solid, a little more where it was during life. Did the place change or did he?

It was when the night was so dark and the castle so quiet that Colin saw him.

Colin was confused at first. He had seen the deaths that had happened. The Death Eaters… they did not remain. They died, they did not stick around. Everyone else did, and that only made Colin surer of just how the battle would end. They were all the lucky audience.

Professor Snape looked much like he had in life. The hair was the same, so was the face. Only a little less tired, a little more pleased.

"Mr. Creevey," he said in an emotionless voice.

The killer of Dumbledore, appropriately dead. All was as it should be. Even so his presence was hateful; at least, Colin felt he should be feeling hate. What good had Snape done? How had he died? Had it been painful and gruesome? Was it as every Hogwarts student had imagined it to be in their grim and giddy fantasies? Colin found that he didn't care.

It was almost over, anyway.

"What do you think?" Snape asked stiffly. "Another hour? The fools can surely see it won't end well."

Colin's throat tightened.

Snape continued, meandering through the silent figures, "Or they would see, if they had bothered to learn anything. Voldemort was stupid and foolish."

Hardly the statement Colin expected to hear. "You fought for Voldemort!"

The strangest of smiles came onto Snape's face. "I suppose I made a good illusion of it. But it's good my heart wasn't in it. I'm sure, Mr. Creevey, you can tell how this will end."

"Hogwarts will win," Colin said softly.

"Of course it will. We all know that. Voldemort was doomed from the beginning. Victory will be ours, Voldemort will fall, and this world will be left behind. May what's next be better."

"But the battle is what matters."

Snape rolled his eyes. "I always thought you were brighter than that, Creevey. Of course the battle is what matters. And after it is over, other things will matter. No one wants to be wrapped up in battle all their life." He said no more, just watched those around him.

Colin was almost afraid to speak. Almost. "Sir, I don't understand."

"And you were doing so well."

"You're… you're on our side?"

There was a slow nod.

"How long?"

"Long enough for it to be enough." Snape's voice was final at the end, and Colin did not dare ask another question.

That didn't matter, he had plenty to think about. And there were other things far more important than wondering.

Besides, all Colin wanted to see was the end of the battle. Victory.

It was almost there.

Then it came. A voice that should have been like thunder but seemed rather childish in Colin's ears. The silly pride of a spoiled kid.

Colin smiled, and he noticed Snape did too.

Just a little longer.

**The End**


End file.
